Hassan Zubeyr

Al-Arabiya

December 3, 2009, in Mogadishu, Somalia

Three journalists were killed in a suicide bomb attack at a BenadirUniversity
graduation ceremony in the capital, Mogadishu.
In all, the explosion claimed the lives of at least 23 people, including several
top government officials, according to news reports. Zubeyr, a cameraman for
Al-Arabiya television, and Mohamed Amin, a Radio Shabelle reporter, were pronounced
dead at the scene. Abdulkhafar Abdulkadir, a freelance photographer, died at a local
hospital later in the day.

Minister of Information Dahir Mohamud Gelle told reporters
that the suicide bomber was a suspected Al-Shabaab insurgent who was targeting government
ministers attending the ceremony at the Hotel Shamo. Gelle said Health Minister Qamar Aden, Education Minister Ahmed
Abdullahi, and Higher Education Minister Ibrahim Hassan were killed. The
minister of sports and tourism, Suleiman Olad Roble, died two days later from injuries
suffered in the attack.

Zubeyr, 29, was a technician at Radio Shabelle before he left in 2006 to work
as a cameraman for Al-Arabiya, exiled journalist Babuul Nur told CPJ. Zubeyr
was survived by a pregnant wife and four children.